In the run-up to the Super Bowl, the NFL installed wireless transmitters — beacons — in the stadium and in Times Square that could interact with fans' smartphones and let them know where to buy their Seahawks gear or find the nearest bathroom.

It's perhaps the biggest mainstream event yet to employ beacons for location-based marketing. The MLB has plans to do its own location-based marketing using beacons, as does Macy's and American Eagle Outfitters.

A recent report from BI Intelligence takes a closer look at this kind of in-store, or "hyper-local targeting." The concept isn't new, but three technologies are making it a reality: push notifications, low-energy Bluetooth, and mobile payments.